Digital-to-analog converter

Claim 1

A digital-analog converter, coupled to sources of high and low potential, for converting a digital input of having n bits into an analog output voltage, said n-bit digital input including a first group of higher order bits and a second group of lower order bits and said converter comprising: an input terminal receiving said n-bit digital input; an output terminal presenting said analog output voltage; a first number of resistors serially connected between said sources of high and low potential such that junctions at which said resistors are connected have potential values determined by a ratio of resistance values of said resistors, said first number of said resistors being less than 2 n-1 ; a second number of switches each connected between a different one of said junctions of said resistors and said output terminal, said second number also being less than 2 n-1 ; and decoder circuit means, connected to said input terminal and to said switches, for receiving said n-bit binary input and for rendering selected ones of said switches conductive according to said first group of bits, said decoder circuit means including first selection means, responsive to said second group of bits being in a specified state, for rendering conductive one of said second switches corresponding to said first group of bits when said second group of bits is in said specified state, and second selection means, responsive to said second group of bits, for rendering conductive said one switch corresponding to said first group of bits and at least one other of said switches corresponding to said first and second input bit groups when the second input bit group is not in said specified state.